Multiplex jack and plug



1948. w. H. ALFORD MULTIPLEX JACK AND PLUG Filed Dec. 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet.- l

N M PVN I .RN

lllllll 1 Inventor mzzzzmz EAifard 1948. w. H. ALFORD MULTIPLEX JACK AND PLUG Filed Dec. 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q m g Inventor JZZZZZ'QMZJZfOrrZ Patented Jan. 13, 1948 w re Myinvention relates to improvements in multi plexw jackandplug construction, andmore par ticularly to a plug provided with a plurality oil insulated contact. arms which are electrically connected to a terminal strip mounted in the end of ,theplug", said plug being adapted to be pushed into a cooperating jack providedwith aplurality. of; contacts, whereby various circuits may be oliened or closed'as desired, 's'aidplu'g and,

jack. further having means incorporated there-- infer, a counter wheel so that.preselectedidesig ated circuits maybe'openedor closed and thedistance the plugis pushed into the jack to-effectthis operation will be indicated. on the counter wheel.. An ob.ject of my invention is to provide an improved .-mu1tiplex,iack and plug equippedwithacounter operated. by the movement of the lugintothe jack, whereby a vi'sual/indication'will be. givenJto show the des'iredor preselected distance: the plug enters the'jacl; in: effecting the closing or opening of preselected. circuits connected with. the plug andtjack.

Anotherolojec't of my invention, in addition to the provision of a counter equipped plugarid jack, is theutilization o'fla ballistcp forholding the plug'in the jack at any desired: position to open or. close the presclectedxor'd'esiredcircuits.

A further object. is to provide 'thej ack with one ornmoresets of leaf contacts or switches; wherebyexterior; or additional circuits may be *opened orclosed prior to the functioning 'of, the switch. mechanismsin' theiack and plug.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings which form a pa oimya plica n Fi e s comb ned view o the. a k, a plug spaced from each other, with parts shown in S AGIJ'Q L Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure'l,

Fi ure iis a ans e s se t Q -a'ea l View t k on the line s t-r Figure '1; with sets sm ar switches shown at the opposite sides of the jack,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the plug; with'on'e contact 'being shown as a modification and being connected" tothe jterminai. strip in the plug,

"Figure 5. is a plan view or my improved jack sho-wingthe counter disposed on 'top thereof;

Figure 6 is an end View ofthe jack,

Figure '7. is a sectional view of the modified form of. insulated contact, and u're Sis a front viewof on the counter mechanism. 7 Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specificationand theaccornpanyin drawings to designate corresponding 'p'arts."

the indicia strip used In carrying out my invention, I provide an m roved form o ie k '999n "a m r movb l s wh ch may b ma e romany sui bls material alt ou h meta is toiled. ube the des r d'material.

Th ia s L o lea 'l illustrated in F u e 2. a d 3 c mp s sw lq sot diholi in l'which is substant lr quaic in c os se ti i wa d is te med w h c-lon i d na lyex e din bore 31 A sprin ten on d lus l k n all s c nt d at the iiiont endof the Jack end attend intotne bor sand. coop rat fwr thtircula rooves termed in h lus :lat r' be desc b d. e/p ra y' o oppositely disposed spaced groovesf5'are out in t e o po ite elies i t e box s and are connec by th tl os tu pall extendin o pos t ly' i'sposcd oa fisiine rooves 15; w ereby th cont cts! s he plus leisrto h descr t dtma be stored inwardlrihto th lack an t rne clockwise or counter clockwise to contactthe conacts? positioned t the set i t e roov s in s i con est li ins CQQHQC c b sui able Whiinsfl to the desired circuits;w i are to he controlled.

T muste a rted n the ront'end the J 21- ud a we Wheel an sq iat e r uqt on sseirins It, w i h i turn i scared to th s ar l! o the ft t u on hich e mi it a wh e is mounted fo ote- 'i A pe t ".4 is o me in h c nte sce e w e the num e 'b ins' i i s ri l?! o th eel it mas 'bevi w' Th pl s 2: s t o in F r 4, n qoe eii s a cnset ho b membe forme o a y d s re insula n te i and ea in n u r shell L oimeio A ura o qs site ext ndin on a a it are h d into the insulating collars ii in the plug g and the inner ends of the arms 55 engage the contact fingers It secured by rivets L9 in the plug 2. Suitable insulated electric wires will conne th con a fi ser '8 w t the terminal s rip -39 carrie at th inward an o h plu I an irin net ho n irom t e c r t b controlled will be connected like is with the said terminal strip 2 9, The torward end oi the plug ,2 is threaded -to'receivea removable protector cap 2l ,-w1ich is-formed with' naperture 22 through which wires from the circuits to the terminal strip will pass; *A-sl-ight modification of'the contact fingers is'showirin Figure 4,"and in detail iii'EFig- 'ure 7, and includes an internally threaded meta l ferrule 23- 'whicn'is "pressed into andnsul'ating ferrule 24; which"inturnis'pressed' into theplugfl. "If desired; one "of more leaf" switches*'25 may be secured "tothe opposite sides "of the 'jacki,

theswit'ch to sug ested grooves '5," Where the "con; taotarms" l5 willengagetlie'ends of the pmg'zs e'ng'tlgitlg"the"contacts Tifithe endsof the grooves 3 5, which later action causes other circuits to be made or broken.

The plug 2 is notched on its upper surface to form the track 21, which cooperates with and engages the cog wheel 9, so that movement of the plug into the jack causes the rotation of the counter mechanism to indicate the relative position of the plug to the jack and accordingly just what predetermined selected circuits are being opened or closed. A plurality of transverse looking grooves 28 are formed in the lower surface of the plug 2 and are positioned at spaced intervals between the laterally extending contact arms l6, and cooperate with the spring pressed plug locking ball 4 to hold the plug in the jack at the de sired position.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the plug 2 will be pushed into the jack a predetermined amount to cause the opening or closing of the desired circuits, and in pushing the plug in the jack, the counter will automatically indicate the postion of the plug with respect to the jack, and accordingly, what circuits are being effected. Moreover, it will be understood that the plug will be rotated clockwise or counter clockwise to open or close the circuits by bringing the contact arms l6 into engagement with the contacts 1 supported in the grooves in the jack I.

It will be understood that I do not intend to limit myself to the exact construction illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, as many minor changes in details of construction may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A combined multiplex jack and plug comprising an elongated jack housing formed with a longitudinally extending cylindrical bore and diametrically opposed elongated arcuate slots at the opposite sides of said cylindrical bore merging therewith, longitudinally spaced contacts supported along the opposite ends of said slots, connections leading from said contacts exteriorly of said jack housing, said jack housing being formed with a radially extending slot disposed between said cylindrical bore and the outer surface of said jack housing, a cog wheel mounted transversely of said radial slot extending into said cylindrical bore, a counter supported upon said jack housing overlying said cog Wheel and operatively connected therewith, an elongated hollow plug having diametrically opposed rows of radially extending spaced longitudinally disposed detachable contact arms and a longitudinally extending cog track intermediate the rows of contacts engageable with said cog wheel when said plug is inserted in said jack housing to indicate the various circuits which are opened or closed as said plug is inserted to various position Within said jack housing.

2. A combined multiplex jack and plug comprising an elongated jack housing formed with a longitudinally extending cylindrical bore and diametrically opposed elongated arcuate slots at the opposite sides of said cylindrical bore merging therewith, longitudinally spaced contacts supported along the opposite ends of said slots, connections leading from said contacts exteriorly of said jack housing, said jack housing being formed with a radially extending slot disposed between said cylindrical bore and the outer surface of said jack housing, a cog wheel mounted transversely of said radial slot extending into said cylindrical bore, a counter supported upon said jack housing overlying said cog wheel and operatively connected therewith, an elongated hollow plug having diametrically opposed rows of radially extending spaced longitudinally disposed detachable contact arms and a longitudinally extending cog track intermediate the rows of contacts engageable with said cog wheel when said plug is inserted in said jack housing to indicate the various circuits which are opened or closed as said plug is inserted to various positions within said jack housing, a removable protector cap threaded upon the end of said plug, and a terminal strip formed integrally with said plug within said protector cap for supporting conductors connectible with the rows of spaced contacts on said plug.

3. A combined multiplex jack and plug comprising an elongated jack housing formed with a longitudinally extending cylindrical bore and diametrically opposed elongated arcuate slots at the opposite sides of said cylindrical bore merging therewith, longitudinally spaced contacts supported along the opposite ends of said slots, connections leading from said contacts exteriorly of said jack housing, said jack housing being formed with a radially extending slot disposed between said cylindrical bore and the outer surface of said jack housing, a cog wheel mounted transversely of said radial slot extending into said cylindrical bore, a counter supported upon said jack housing overlying said cog wheel and operatively connected therewith, an elongated hollow plug having diametrically opposedrows of radially extending spaced longitudinally disposed detachabl contact arms and a longitudinally extending cog track intermediate the rows of contacts engageable with said cog wheel when said plug is inserted in said jack housing to indicate the various circuits which are opened or closed as said plug is inserted to various positions within said jack housing, a removable protector cap threadable upon the end of said plug, a terminal strip formed integral with said plug within said protector cap, and spaced contact fingers secured to the inner wall of said plug for supporting conductors connectible with said terminal strip.

4. The subject matter as claimed in claim 3, and concentrically arranged conducting and insulating bushings disposed within said plug for supporting said detachable contact arms.

WILLIAM H. ALFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 279,471 Wilson June 12, 1883 597,782 Ritter Jan. 25, 1898 692,260 Garwood Feb. 4, 1902 1,222,585 Carlson Apr. 10, 1917 1,615,726 Row Jan. 25, 1927 1,649,694 Hewitt Nov. 15, 1927 1,679,067 Wiseman July 31, 1928 1,680,430 Pacent Aug. 14, 1928 1,876,951 Jaros et a1. Sept. 13, 1932 2,034,804 Gamroth Mar. 24, 1936 2,134,753 Fisher et a1. Nov. 1, 1938 2,402,279 Good June 18, 1946 

